This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from the prior Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-007985, filed Jan. 16, 2001, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electronic apparatus, such as a portable computer and a portable information tool, which includes antenna elements for use in wireless communication.
2. Description of the Related Art
Recently, there has been provided an electronic apparatus such as a portable computer to which a wireless communication unit such as Bluetooth(trademark) and a wireless LAN is added. This type of electronic apparatus comprises a main body having a storage section to store a wireless communication unit and a display unit including antenna elements for use in wireless communication. Each of the antenna elements is connected to an antenna cable. The antenna cable runs between the display unit and the main body and its one end, which is opposed to the antenna element, leads to the storage section. The one end of the antenna cable has a connecting terminal. The connecting terminal is connected to an antenna input terminal of the wireless communication unit when the wireless communication unit is stored in the storage section.
When the wireless communication unit is removed from the storage section, the connecting terminal of the antenna cable is not connected to the antenna input terminal but can freely move inside the storage section. If a vibration or a shock is given to the electronic apparatus, it is inevitable that the one end of the antenna cable moves inside the storage section. As a result, there are cases where the connecting terminal of the antenna cable collides with or is caught in a connector and the like, arranged inside or on the inner surface of the storage section. This may damage the terminal and connector.
In order to prevent the damage, conventionally, the one end of the antenna cable is adhered to the inner surface of the storage section using an adhesive tape. This can restrict the free movement of the antenna cable inside the storage section and thus prevent the connecting terminal and connector from being damaged.
However, the use of an adhesive tape necessitates a cumbersome operation of peeling the adhesive tape off the antenna cable or the inner surface of the storage section and disposing of the peeled adhesive tape before the wireless communication unit is stored in the storage section. Thus, the operability is poor and the preparatory operation, which is performed before the wireless communication unit is stored, requires time and trouble.
An object of the present invention is to provide an electronic apparatus whose outward appearance is not poor and in which one end of a cable can easily be fixed in position, the fixing of the cable can quickly be released, and a storage section is not complicated.
In order to attain the above object, an electronic apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
a main body having a storage section which stores a wireless communication unit;
an antenna element for use in wireless communication, arranged at a distance from the storage section;
an antenna cable formed between the storage section and the antenna element, the antenna cable having one end led to the storage section, and the one end of the antenna cable being connected to the wireless communication unit; and
a holding member fixed in the storage section, the holding member being detachably caught by the one end of the antenna cable to hold the one end of the antenna cable in position in the storage section.
With the above construction of the electronic apparatus, the holding member holds one end of the antenna cable in position in the storage section. Since, therefore, the one end of the antenna cable cannot be freely moved in the storage section, it can be prevented from being damaged. Moreover, the holding of the antenna cable can be released only by detaching the one end of the antenna cable from the holding member. The operation of releasing the holding of the antenna cable can easily be performed, and a preparatory operation, which is performed before the wireless communication unit is stored in the storage section, requires neither time nor trouble.
In addition, the holding member is fixed in a predetermined position in the storage section, so that the position of the one end of the antenna cable held by the holding member does not vary from product to product. Since the position and shape of the holding member are fixed in the storage section, the storage section is not complicated but its outward appearance can be enhanced.
Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out hereinafter.